Man charged with assaulting police, ambulance crew

NEW BEDFORD — Police arrested a New Bedford man Sunday morning, charging him with threatening a taxi cab driver and assaulting police and ambulance personnel.

Sgt. Victor Mendes said police were called to 839 County St. early Sunday morning by a cab driver who was having an issue with a customer.

When police arrived, Mendes said, the suspect, whom police identified as Fansiquito Hechavaria of New Bedford, was calling the driver names and assaulting him. Mendes said when officers tried to take Hechavaria into custody because he appeared to be under the influence of narcotics, he began kicking the officers and fighting them.

In the process of placing Hechavaria under arrest, police also found he had a bag of cocaine on him.

Mendes said police called an ambulance to take Hechavaria to St. Luke's Hospital and Hechavaria also assaulted the emergency medics.

Police arrested Hechavaria charging him with disturbing the peace, threatening to commit a crime, assault and battery on a police officer, possession of a Class B narcotic, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on ambulance personnel.— ARIEL WITTENBERG